How far is Cathedral City, CA from Riverside, CA?
The driving distance from Cathedral City, CA to Riverside, CA is about 64.9 miles (104.5 km), with a travel time of about 01h 14m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 54.7 miles (88.1 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 02h 29m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
- A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT.
Reverse, save, or send this route
This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.
This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.
Flight Distance
Driving Distance
Gas Cost Calculator
Leave and Arrive Planner
Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.
Drive time stays fixed at 01h 14m.
A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.
You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.
Halfway Point
A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.
City in Riverside County, California, United States
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Sunny
Mostly Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Cathedral City and Riverside.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cathedral City and Riverside.
-
1
Start on Cove Lane
144 m · 25 sec · Cove Lane
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2
Turn right onto Cathedral Canyon Drive
1.5 mi · 3 min · Cathedral Canyon Drive
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3
Turn right onto Dinah Shore Drive
2623 ft · 52 sec · Dinah Shore Drive
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4
Turn left onto Date Palm Drive
3.3 mi · 6 min · Date Palm Drive
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5
Take the ramp slight right
2157 ft · 52 sec
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6
Merge slight left onto Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
14.5 mi · 16 min · Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
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7
Continue on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
17.9 mi · 19 min · Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
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8
Take the exit slight left toward CA 60 West: Riverside
1022 ft · 13 sec
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9
Continue on Moreno Valley Freeway
2677 ft · 33 sec · Moreno Valley Freeway
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10
Continue on Moreno Valley Expressway
2 mi · 2 min · Moreno Valley Expressway
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11
Continue on Moreno Valley Freeway
16 mi · 20 min · Moreno Valley Freeway
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12
Merge slight left onto Escondido Freeway
3.9 mi · 5 min · Escondido Freeway
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13
Take the exit slight right toward CA 91 West: Riverside, Beach Cities
1.5 mi · 3 min
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14
Merge slight left onto Riverside Freeway
2.2 mi · 3 min · Riverside Freeway
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15
Take the exit slight right toward Central Avenue, Riverside Plaza Avenue
1280 ft · 33 sec
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16
Turn right onto Central Avenue
1.1 km · 1 min · Central Avenue
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17
Turn slight left
52 m · 13 sec
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18
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Cathedral City and Riverside.
Highway-focused drive
Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
Continue on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
17.9 mi · 00h 19m
Route Summary
A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.
A comfortable day-trip route
This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.
Sunny leaving Cathedral City and Mostly Sunny near Riverside.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Cathedral City to Riverside?
The road trip is about 64.9 miles (104.5 km) and usually takes 01h 14m in normal driving conditions.
Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?
This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.
What is the halfway point on this route?
Banning is a useful midpoint, sitting about 32.7 miles from Cathedral City and 32.2 miles from Riverside.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 54.7 miles (88.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 10.2 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.
When is the best time to leave for this route?
A good departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:00 PM PDT.
How much will gas cost for this route?
Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $13.21 one way or $26.42 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 20.4 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Sunny around Cathedral City and Mostly Sunny near Riverside.
Stop Ideas Near Banning
Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.
Khyra Beaucrest Ranch
Highland Springs Ranch & Inn
Hampton Inn & Suites Banning-Beaumont
Country Hills RV Park
Transit and Meeting Points
Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Banning.
Cabazon, CA
Hemet (West Florida Ave), California
Hemet (Devonshire Ave), California
Palm Springs
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Cathedral City and Riverside. Straight-line distance: 54.74 mi (88.09 km).
#1 Cathedral City
A city in Riverside County, California.
| Population | 55,007 |
| Coordinates | 33.7797400, -116.4652900 |
| Altitude | 100 |
| Country | United States |
#2 Riverside
The most populous city in Riverside County, California and the center of the Riverside metropolitan area.
| Population | 330,786 |
| Coordinates | 33.9533500, -117.3961600 |
| Altitude | 252 |
| Country | United States |
End: (-117.396162, 33.953244)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 105 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 02h 09m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 01h 37m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 01h 17m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 01h 04m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 00h 55m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 00h 48m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $13.21 | $26.42 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $13.89 | $27.78 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $14.30 | $28.59 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $17.33 | $34.66 |
Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.
Prices in California · Apr 19, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.